"The day after tomorrow! No, if you come back the day after tomorrow, you may have the opportunity to meet my family at that time. ”

"Master Hu, can you be accommodating? Xiaguan has been waiting for four days, he has been waiting too long, Xiaguan knows that Su Zhongtang will be at home, please let me know, this is a little meaning, Hu Ye, you take it to tea. ”

"No! What kind of person is my lord, he is a guest and must be met immediately, and his old man must not be busy to death? If you can't wait for four days, then you just don't see my master! See, that Uncle Bai, the slave born by my master's family, has been queuing for five days, whether I can see my master today is still two words! You go and ask him, does he dare to say that he has waited a long time? Let's go, let's go, get out of the way! ”

drove a foreign official away, and Uncle Hu, the doorman of Su Shun, sat on the rocking chair next to the gatehouse, knocked on Erlang's leg and shook it and complained, "Damn, if you are an official, you want to see my master, and if you are an official, you want to kowtow to my master, and I am annoyed!" The old man is annoying, and I am also annoying! ”

There were many Qing officials in the concierge who were waiting in line for Su Shun to meet with heavy gift boxes, and almost all of them heard the complaints of Uncle Hu, but none of the officials dared to say a word of nonsense on their lips, and they all smiled on their faces, and all they thought about in their hearts were hoping that a miracle would appear, so that Su Shun Su Zhongtang, the first celebrity in front of Emperor Xianfeng, could meet him and give himself a chance to be promoted and make a fortune.

At this time, a carriage appeared at the mouth of the alley, and directly turned into the alley to the gate of the Su Mansion to come over, but the alley was already full of large and small sedan chairs of the guests of the Su Mansion, crowded with the sedan chair driver's entourage, the carriage did not go a few steps to be difficult to move, the driver who drove the car was careless, and also hit a three-rank and above the four-person sedan chair that was qualified to sit in the three-rank and above. Several sedan chairmen next to him were furious, and bullied that the carriage was just an ordinary civilian carriage, so they rushed up and pulled the coachman down, and without saying a word, it was a slap in the face, and roared: "Blind your mother's dog eyes, did you hit my master's sedan chair?" Money! Money! ”

was waiting for boredom, of course, the other sedan chair drivers next to him immediately came over to see the excitement, and even the Hu Ye in the gatehouse of Guansu Mansion stood up curiously to watch the excitement. At this time, the curtain of the carriage was lifted, and a thin young man walked out and said to the palanquin drivers: "Hey, if you have something to say, don't beat people." I hired this driver to hit your sedan chair, but did it break? Why lose money? ”

Bullying the thin young man, and seeing that he was also sitting in a folk carriage in civilian clothes, the palanquin drivers immediately turned their guns around and shouted at the thin young man, "Roar, a rabbit jumped out of the flock, what are you?" Do you know who my family is? Do you know ...... here? ”

"Lord Wu! Kure-sama! ”

The sudden affectionate shouts interrupted the dog fighting momentum of the sedan chair drivers, and when everyone looked closely, they saw that Su Mansion was the doorman who was above the top of the door, Uncle Hu, rushed over with a roll, and rushed directly to the thin young man, without saying a word, he knelt down on one knee and beat a thousand, and said with a flattering face: "Little Hu Er, please say hello to Lord Wu." Lord Wu, do you remember the villain? When you came to visit my family two years ago, you were the little receptionist. ”

The thin young man recalled for a moment, and then patted his forehead and said, "Remember, the last time I came to visit Su Zhongtang, it was indeed you who received me." Please get up, please get up, is Su Zhongtang at home? I'm here to greet him again. ”

"Yes, yes." Uncle Hu nodded and said, "My lord has already explained, saying that you are going to enter Beijing in the next few days, and if you come to see him, you don't have to report it, just take you to see him." Lord Wu, please hurry, the little one will take you to see my master. ”

"Thank you." The thin young man thanked him with a smile, and said, "Wait a minute, the coachman I hired hit someone else's sedan chair, wait until I take care of this matter first." ”

Then, without waiting for the thin young man to say anything, the real owner of the sedan chair had already rushed over, and without saying a word, he gave several of his sedan chair drivers a few big slaps, forcing them to make amends to the thin young man and his coachman. The dog-like sedan chair drivers also knew that they had kicked the iron plate, and hurriedly kowtowed to the thin young man and his coachman to apologize, and apologized repeatedly, but fortunately, the thin young man was also very generous, and ended the matter with a wave of his hand. At the same time, the owner of the sedan chair naturally whispered to Uncle Hu about the identity of this thin young man, and Uncle Hu whispered proudly: "Wu surpassed Wu Zhentai's great name, have you heard of it?" ”

Don't look at the young age and not have been in the office for a long time, but Wu Chaoyue's name has long been the most stinky in the Qing Dynasty officialdom, and anyone who cares a little bit about current affairs has no one who doesn't know Wu Chaoyue. As soon as he heard that the thin young man in front of him turned out to be the famous Wu Chaoyue Wu Zhentai, the owner of the sedan chair and the other officials present also immediately had the heart to make friends and please him, but unfortunately, just after the incident, Wu Chaoyue was immediately invited into the Su Mansion by the people of the Su Mansion, and those officials could only stomp their feet and secretly cry regret, and they regretted that they missed the great opportunity to make friends with the young newcomer who was the most popular in the current dynasty.

After two years of not seeing each other, Su Shun's official authority was obviously more sufficient, and when Wu Chaoyue saw him in the back hall, he was training an official to be like a grandson. However, Su Shun's attitude towards Wu Chaoyue was completely different, as soon as he saw Wu Chaoyue suddenly appear, Su Shun, who was in a frenzy, immediately showed a smile on his face, and scolded with a smile: "Little guy, are you angry with me again?" Why are you here now? Tell me honestly, after coming to the capital, who will you go to before coming to me? ”

"Su Zhongtang, the conscience of heaven and earth, after the lower officials entered the city, they immediately came here to greet you, and no one went." Wu Chaoyue shouted grievances, and hurriedly saluted Su Shun, who was really good to him.

"Count on you, little one, and still have a little conscience." Su Shun scolded with a smile, waved his hand to send away the unlucky guy who was being trained, and came to Wu Chaoyue with his own hands, and said, "Come up, let me see what you little guy looks like in two years." Yes, it's much stronger, I really didn't expect that the little bastard who was presumptuous in front of me more than two years ago is now also a third-grade master. ”

"It's not thanks to the support of Lord Zhongtang, without your support and care in Zhongtang, Xia Guan would have today?" Wu Chaoyue's words are rare to come from the bottom of his heart, and it is true that if it weren't for Su Shun bringing his own dry food to Wu Chaoyue as a backer in the capital, Wu Chaoyue would never have been so carefree in the officialdom.

"It's up to you to fight for it." Su Shun patted Wu Chaoyue's shoulder with a smile and said with a smile: "Because of you, the master has praised me several times for being a virtuous person for the country, and promoted you, a young famous general, so that the master has countless hearts." ”

praised Wu Chaoyue a few words, Su Shun immediately asked someone to arrange a banquet, and took time out of his busy schedule to personally wash the dust for Wu Chaoyue, Wu Chaoyue also hurriedly presented a rich gift named after Shanghai specialties, Su Shun still accepted it with a smile after a few words, and then smiled at Wu Chaoyue: "Little guy, I heard that your official reputation is not bad, there have never been any rumors of exploiting the people, and the soldiers are never allowed to loot the people in any city, and there should be no savings in your hands, these things are spending your grandfather's silver, right?" ”

Seeing that Su Shun spoke so frankly, Wu Chaoyue was also even more frank, nodded and said, "Don't dare to deceive Lord Zhongtang, it is indeed my grandfather's silver." But please rest assured, Lord Zhongtang, it is all clean silver, and my family's business in Guangzhou has been good, and there is no need to play any tricks to have silver flowers. ”

"Coax the ghost to go." Su Shun smiled and said: "After you go back, tell your grandfather to be more restrained, and the Qingliu Imperial History that is eyeing him is not one or two for a long time, if these people are caught, it will be difficult for me and Prince Gong to protect him in the court." ”

Nodding with a smirk, Wu Chaoyue also decided in his heart that he had to persuade the comprador grandfather well, don't be so greedy and greedy, and it is the right thing to properly restrain the trickle. At this time, Su Shun suddenly asked: "You took the initiative to go to Beijing to report on your work this time, saying that you want to state the thief's strategy to the emperor in person, is it really false?" ”

"Really?" Wu Chaoyue was a little puzzled, and he didn't understand why Su Shun asked this, and then said: "Of course it's true, the thief's strategy presented by the lower officials can also be written as an excerpt and presented to the emperor, but the lower officials feel that it is better to state it to the emperor in person, and the lower officials want to do a big thing when they enter Beijing, so they ask for a decree to enter Beijing." ”

"What else do you want to do?" Su Shun asked with some concern, for fear that Wu Chaoyue came to ask for a treaty revision by foreigners.

When the time comes, he will definitely ask Su Shun to help him speak well in front of Emperor Xianfeng, Wu Chaoyue did not hide it, and replied very awkwardly: "The lower officials are brave, and they want to come to the position of governor of Hubei, and the Lord of Wanwang Zhongtang will be fulfilled." ”

"Governor of Hubei?" Su Shun's eyes widened, and he asked in surprise, "Are you really eyeing the lack of the governor of Hubei?" A few days ago, Jingshou came back from Shanghai and said that you wanted to be the governor of Hubei, but I thought you were talking casually. ”

"Lord Zhongtang forgives the sin, Xia Guan really didn't say it casually at that time." Wu Chaoyue replied sincerely: "Xiaguan really wants to make up for the lack of governor of Hubei, the purpose, of course, is to be promoted again, but Xiaguan is more for the sake of the imperial court, and wants to strengthen the strength of Hubei officials and troops for the imperial court, defend Hubei for the imperial court, block the road of long-haired westward, and do not give the thief a chance to continue to spread westward." When the time is ripe, he will go down the river from Hubei, go straight to Jiangning, and destroy the main force of the imperial court in one fell swoop. ”

"Aren't you also in Shanghai who can kill thieves for the country? Why do you have to go to Hubei? Su Shun asked suspiciously.

"It's very different." Wu Chaoyue shook his head, and said with a heartfelt expression: "Xiaguan handles regimental training in Shanghai, although he can also directly send troops to kill thieves." However, most of the soldiers of the imperial court have already been in the two large battalions in Jiangnan and Jiangbei in Jiangsu, and there are not many regimental training with subordinate officials, and there are many regimental training without subordinate officials, even if the subordinate officials go to Jiangning and Zhenjiang to participate in the counterinsurgency, it is only the icing on the cake and cannot play a decisive role, on the contrary, because they are far away from Songjiang in Shanghai, they will lose the financial and food support of the local rich merchants and gentry, and increase the military burden of the imperial court, and the gains outweigh the losses. ”

"But if you let the lower officials go to Hubei to handle the group training, it will be completely different." Wu Chaoyue continued: "In order to pacify the long-haired bandits, the Huguang official army has long been evacuated, and even the surrounding officers and troops in Henan, Sichuan, Guizhou and other places have basically been transferred, and the official and military forces directly controlled by the imperial court have been weak to a very dangerous point. ”

"Please think about it, in such a situation, if the lower officials can set up an elite army similar to the Shanghai regimental training in Hubei, and supply the army with local financial power instead of relying on folk music, then the emperor's court and Lord Zhongtang do you still need to worry about the local people in Hubei? Do you still need to worry about the continued spread of long-haired and banditry? When you go down the river to smash the thief's nest, Lord Zhongtang, do you need to worry about the subordinate missing the opportunity to break the thief because of the constraints of military salary, money and food? ”

Feeling that Wu Chaoyue's words were quite reasonable, Su Shun nodded, and asked suspiciously: "Listen to your tone, if you go to Hubei to take office, don't you take Shanghai Tuanlian to Hubei?" ”

"Of course not." Wu Chaoyue replied: "The regimental training run by the lower officials was formed by the rich merchants and gentry in Songjiang who donated money and grain, and of course the lower officials should leave the regimental training in Songjiang to defend the wealth of southern Jiangsu for the imperial court, and also leave an elite army for the imperial court in Jiangsu that can respond to emergencies." Therefore, Xia Guan had already thought about it, if the emperor and Lord Zhongtang gave Xia Guan this opportunity, Xia Guan would leave the Shanghai regiment training in Songjiang, and at most only bring some old generals and veterans to Hubei to help Xia Guan train the army, so that the Hubei New Army could become an army as soon as possible. ”

"You're really willing." Su Shun smiled.

"The Shanghai group training is organized by the lower officials for the imperial court, let them serve the imperial court, what is the lower official reluctant to do?" Wu Chaoyue replied with a smile.

Su Shun smiled again, very satisfied with Wu Chaoyue's loyalty to the wild boar skin family, and after thinking about it again, Su Shun said again: "Little guy, don't blame me for pouring cold water on you. Yes, with your military exploits, it is indeed more than enough to be crowned a governor, and the imperial court also has an exception to use Jiang Zhongyuan as the governor of Anhui, and it is not much of a problem to overtake you in the same way. But now there are two problems, the first is your age, not even twenty years old, it's too young. Second, ....... ”

Speaking of this, Su Shun paused for a moment, and then said: "Regarding the lack of the governor of Hubei, the emperor has changed his mind again, and wants your teacher Zeng Guofan to make up for this shortage." ”

"The emperor has changed his mind again?" Wu Chaoyue was taken aback, and hurriedly asked: "Isn't it that because of Qi Zhongtang's resolute opposition, the emperor withdrew his will to let my teacher make up for this shortage, why has it changed again?" ”

"Because your teacher has won the battle again." Su Shun said with a smile: "On the 29th of September, your teacher's soldiers entered Tianjia Town, and with the strength of four battalions, they broke tens of thousands of long hairs in Malingao, and won a lot of victories. Your teacher reported the victory with the red flag, the master Longyan Dayue, Hui Wangye, Hua Shangshu and Du Junji took the opportunity to bring up the old things, and strongly persuaded the emperor to reuse your teacher as a reward, and encouraged the Hunan regiment to practice fighting bravely to kill the enemy and pacify Changmao. ”

"Lord Zhongtang, what did the emperor say?" Wu Chaoyue hurriedly asked.

Su Shun smiled and replied: "The master Chrysostom Yuyan has defeated Tianjia Town and completely expelled Changmao from Hubei, and he will consider it." ”

The history is sparse, I don't know the outcome of the battle of Tianjiazhen in history, and I don't know the specific situation in Hubei, Wu Chaoyue is of course worried. Su Shun was heartless, he liked to admire Wu Chaoyue's depressed look, and continued to hit Wu Chaoyue with a smile: "By the way, I will tell you one thing, I also support letting your teacher be the governor of Hubei, and for this matter, I also quarreled with Qi Zhongtang in front of the master." (Historical facts, Qi Liaozao resigned in November of the fourth year of Xianfeng, because he opposed Su Shun's reuse of the Hunan army.) ）

"Nakado-sama." Wu Chaoyue was about to cry.

Haha laughed, appreciating Wu Chaoyue's frustration and nervousness, Su Shun knocked on Erlang's leg and said with a smile: "What's the hurry?" If the master can change his mind, I can't change his mind? ”

"You are my person, you are the teacher and Mu Zhang'a's person, I don't want to promote you, do you have to go all out to promote other people's protégés?"

"Don't worry, I'll tell my master about you, but I don't dare to guarantee you if it doesn't work out now. Your teacher, if he really likes to be a governor, and there is a vacancy in the governors of Jiangxi and Anhui, I won't be too late to consider him. ”

Wu Chaoyue was overjoyed, and hurriedly left the table to bow down to Su Shun to thank him, but Su Shun didn't support Wu Chaoyue again, just shook Erlang's leg and said: "Thank you for no need, just remember how good I am to you." Stinky boy, I really don't know if I owe you in my last life, when we met for the first time, I just hated you, and I especially liked your strength. ”

Once again, I sincerely thanked Su Shun for his repeated support and kindness, and it was rare to sincerely remember Su Shun's kindness in my heart, Wu Chaoyue got up and said goodbye, and clearly told Su Shun that he was going to visit Devil Six for the comprador grandfather today. Su Shun, who knew the relationship between Old Comprador Wu and the six devils, waved his hand generously and said, "Go, the due ceremony must be exhausted." Prince Gong has also entered the military plane now, and you have to go for a walk on his side. Don't worry, I know who you are, and I won't suspect that you are trying to change your court. ”

After saying goodbye and leaving Sushun Mansion, Wu Chaoyue did not stop, and hurriedly went straight to Prince Gong's Mansion next to Shichahai with a heavy salute, but what made Wu Chaoyue pout quietly was that the Devil's Six Kings Mansion that had entered the military aircraft was also full of officials, large and small, waiting to be summoned. But pouting and pouting, in order to consolidate the backer of Wu Lao comprador in the imperial court, so that the comprador grandfather can rest assured that he can embezzle tariffs for himself in Shanghai, and in order to win allies who support him as the governor of Hubei, Wu Chaoyue still obediently stepped forward to pay tribute to Menzi, reported his name and official position, and asked to see Guizi Liu.

What surprised Wu Chaoyue was that after hearing his name and official position, the Menzi of Prince Gong's Mansion, who was also above the top, not only did not dare to make it difficult, but also hurriedly returned the door to Wu Chaoyue, nodded and said: "Lord Wu, wait a minute, our prince has already explained, saying that if you come to ask for a meeting, you should ask the small ones to pass immediately, and they must not be delayed, and the small ones will go in and give you the pass, please wait a while." ”

After he forced the door to be stuffed to the doorman again, Wu Chaoyue was immediately surrounded by the big and small officials in the gatehouse, greeting and saluting, and asking for peace, one of the middle-aged men in his thirties squeezed forward with great excitement, and said to Wu Chaoyue: "Weiting, do you know who I am?" Your teacher, Zeng Guofan, is my brother, and I am your teacher's second brother, Zeng Guohuang. ”

"Second Uncle Zeng, student Wu Chaoyue, I have seen Second Uncle Zeng." Wu Chaoyue didn't dare to slack off, and hurriedly saluted Zeng Guohuang, and then asked curiously: "Second uncle, why are you here too?" ”

"I'm here for your teacher." Zeng Guohuang replied casually, and hurriedly pulled Wu Chaoyue, and said in a low voice: "Weiting, do me a favor, I've been queuing here for two days, and I haven't been able to see Prince Gong yet." Prince Gong attaches so much importance to you, after you meet him, you must ask for a favor for me and let him take some time to meet me. ”

"Second uncle, why are you in such a hurry to meet Prince Gong?" Wu Chaoyue still found out that he was purely superfluous after asking this sentence - Su Shun had already said it, Mianyu and Hua Shana and others brought up the old matter again, and strongly persuaded Emperor Xianfeng to let Zeng Guofan make up for the lack of governor of Hubei, Mianyu and Hua Shana, these masters, can they confiscate Zeng Guohuang's silver?

Sure enough, Zeng Guohuang really refused to answer this question, only vaguely, and just asked Wu Chaoyue to help him so that he could see Devil Six as soon as possible. Then it didn't take long for the previous door to rush out, saying that Prince Gong had invited Wu Chaoyue, and when Wu Chaoyue hurriedly followed the door into the door, Zeng Guohuang told him behind his back: "Comfort Ting, remember what I just said to you." ”

Then, when he entered the back hall of Prince Gong's Mansion, which covers the largest area in the capital, and saw the devil six, Wu Chaoyue gave the devil six salutes with a clear conscience, and never thought that the devil six would spit out with one mouth, "Don't dare to be!" I really don't dare to be it! Wu Zhentai hurry up, how can this king be deed, then dare to be your big gift? Lord Wu, when you were still a six-grade Beijing official, you lived in the capital for so long, and you never thought of coming to me for a walk, now Lord Wu, you are a third-grade master, and this king dares to be your big gift again? ”

I didn't expect that the devil would spray poison with one mouth, Wu Chaoyue was really stunned, and then said with a sad face: "Lord, the lower officials didn't come to see you before, aren't you afraid that you will be busy and dare not cause you trouble?" ”

"Then why aren't you afraid of causing trouble to this king now?" Devil Six also knocked on Erlang's leg.

"That's because the lower officials heard that you have entered the military aircraft department, so no matter how busy you are, no matter how busy you are, the lower officials have to come to congratulate you and say hello." Wu Chaoyue replied with a hippie smile: "Otherwise, wouldn't the lower officials be too disrespectful to the prince?" (To be continued.) )